


We'll Always Have Each Other

by DrElementary



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Blood, Drinking, F/F, F/M, Finger Sucking, Multi, Oral Sex, Pirates, Sexual Violence, Smut, Swearing, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-02 14:33:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14546793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrElementary/pseuds/DrElementary
Summary: An alternate universe where Mary doesn't die in the prison, because that just really made me sad.Also exploring what happens in all the gaps.





	1. A Night in Kingston

“Mary,” he pounded on the door of the shack he knew she lived in when in Kingston. “Mary, open up!” 

The door wrenched open, and he fell inside, his chin hitting the floor. 

“Jaysus, you bastard!” Mary shouted, kicking him in the ribs until he rolled over and out of the way. She slammed the door closed. “Are you trying to get me killed?” 

“Oh, Christ that hurts,” he held his sides in pain. 

“Serves you right, you sodding arse! What did I tell you not just yesterday? And you’ve gone and cocked it up already!” She kicked him again for good measure.  
Edward had just discovered, less than a day ago, that James Kidd was in fact Mary Read, and he had not quite acclimated to that information. Even if he had, being dead drunk did not exactly make him cautious.

“Oh, I’m sorry...James,” he spat the word out as he climbed up the chair and attempted to sit.

“Devil curse you, how much have you had?”

“A few. Who knows? Not enough!” he threw back his head and laughed.

“Why are you here?” she growled at him, her arms crossed.

“Why, you don’t want me to be here?” he leered at her. She had her hair down and her coat off. He could see part of the tattoo she had on her chest.

“No, I don’t want you here, Edward,” she replied angrily, sitting hard on the edge of the bed. The springs squeaked in protest. “You think I want you banging on my door,” she swept her arm around in a wide gesture, “and yelling my name for all to hear? If anything comes of this, you can be damn sure you’ll not be long in this world!”

“Oh come now, Mary. We’re all best of friends here!”

“Not if you keep this up! Get ahold of yourself, man!” she slapped him in the face, not hard, just enough to sting.

“At least I am a man,” he winced and rubbed at his cheek, temporarily shocked out of his mood.

“Is that what this is about? Christ, Edward. You think I can just tell everyone I’m a woman? Women ‘round here are whores and wenches. Just think about yourself!” She leaned forward and jabbed him in the chest. “How many women do you know the names of?”

“I know at least one,” he retorted, pushing her hand away and losing balance. He teetered forward, and Mary pushed him back into the chair with enough force that it bounced off the flimsy wall.

“Exactly, you shite. You have the brains of a gull.” She crossed her arms and stared at him.

“Why’re you lookin’ at me that way?” he asked defiantly. Despite his tone he did feel a little ashamed. He wasn’t going to let her know that, though.

“I’m trying to decide if you’re ignorant or just a damned fool.”

“While you do that,” he struggled up, “I’m goin’ outside to piss.”

“Christ,” she muttered again, putting a hand over her eyes in exasperation. “Just be quiet about it.”

Edward wandered outside into the humid air. Nearby he found a tree. He thought about just relieving himself on her shack, but he suspected she might not take kindly to that.

He looked up at the sky. Clouds scuttered across the stars, and the moon was waxing. He breathed in deep, smelled the stench of people and garbage and ocean.

Edward knew why he was upset; he felt a fool. Two years, and no idea! He didn’t like the wool being pulled over his eyes. Thought he was smarter than that. And she’d fooled everyone else, too. Probably laughing at them all. Laughing at him.

He finished emptying his bladder, looked around. He could see some lights from Kingston proper, down the hill. Nearby was jungle. A few other makeshift dwellings were scattered around, none all that close. He hoped he hadn’t woken anyone up.

He walked back to her hut, and went inside. She was still sitting on the bed, arms still crossed, feet planted on the floor. She glared at him.

“See here...” he hesitated. She raised her eyebrows silently, expectantly.

“I just don’t like the thought of you puttin’ this over on me,” he said, leaning back against the door.

“Well maybe this ain’t about you. Maybe you should pull your head out of your arse.”

“You don’t gotta be like that,” he mumbled.

“Be like what, Edward?” she sighed, and uncrossed her arms. “Scared that I may have made the wrong decision? Scared that I thought maybe I could trust you? That maybe you had a sound head on your shoulders, nevermind your foolish obsession for gettin’ the easy coin?”

He could feel the drink wearing off. His head was spinning, and not just with uncertainty.

She could see him wavering. “Sit down. I’m not going to hurt you,” she said gently.

“Aye, I know you aren’t,” he submitted half-heartedly, but sat down anyway.

“Edward, listen. I’m not doing this because I want to, or ‘cause I’m having a laugh at you all. I have to.”

“Nay, Mary, that ain’t true. We’d accept you!” Edward protested.

“Jaysus, Edward. No you lot wouldn’t,” she tried, mostly successfully, to keep the anger out of her voice. “You know how I know? Because the Assassins do accept me.”

Edward groaned at the mention of the organization, but Mary pressed on.

“Ah Tabai don’t care if I was man, woman, or...or goat. When we met, he knew right away that I was a woman, but all he saw was the potential I had. I’ve never had that freedom before. Anywhere else...that couldn’t happen.” She sighed again, looking down, and Edward could see the sadness hanging on her.

“Why not? I’ve seen you fight. You’re a fierce one, Kidd. Bet you could take anyone who challenged you.”

“I know I could,” she glanced at him, and he could see confidence and determination in her grin. It scared him a little. “But I don’t want to be fightin’ off drunk louts and daft pirates at every turn. Sleepin’ with one eye open just because some man’s threatened by me ain’t a life I want. It’s easier this way.”

“It don’t look easy,” he said, and she was surprised at the empathy.

“I’ve got used to it,” she replied as matter-of-factly as possible.

Edward replayed some of the past conversation in his head until he got to the part he’d thought she said.

“Why’d you decide to trust me now?”

Mary sat back a little, re-positioning on the bed, tucking a leg underneath. The springs complained at her movement. Edward was a little put off by the feminine position; it felt so alien to James Kidd. She ain’t James Kidd, though, she’s Mary Read, he had to remind himself. This is so odd.

“I don’t know Edward. I can just sense something about you. You’ve got the sight, you’ve escaped from some impossible situations...”<

“I’m just lucky, I guess.”

“Nay. It’s somethin’ else. I can’t explain it though. Ah Tabai would know better.”

“I ain’t got time for that mystic,” Edward dismissed the hint, and Mary bristled, but bit her tongue. It would be no use trying to persuade him right now.

She could see him studying her up and down, unformed questions climbing over his scarred face.

“Well?” she inquired.

“Well what?”

“Don’t be daft. You’re curious. Ask your questions. You clearly ain’t leaving until you’ve sated your thirst,” she sighed.

“How’d you manage it, though? Two years I’ve known ye! More, you were with Thatch,” he suddenly remembered.

“And the Royal Navy. You men ain’t exactly the sharpest,” she sat forward and rested an arm on her knee. “Like I said afore, no one expects women to be anything but wives or prostitutes.”

“I still can’t believe it,” Edward said, shaking his head. “But it does all make some bit o’ sense, I suppose. I just thought you must be ‘specially young, with not even a bit of hair on your face, and your voice...”

“People make what they see fit what they think. It suits me to let them think that. I’m just last month thirty-two Edward.”

Edward rocked back, eyes opened in shock. “That old, now? Blow me, you’re ‘bout in the ground!”

“Disrespectful cur,” Mary hit him in the shoulder, rattling the boards on the shed as his chair bounced off them again. She sat back, hands on the mattress. The moon shone its pale light onto the floor.

“What happens when it’s, uh...your time?” Edward had the good sense to at least look embarrassed.

“Jaysus, really? What do you think? I just use rags.”

“Doesn’t it...stink of blood?”

“We all stink of blood, Edward.”

There was an uncomfortable silence.

“Do you have anything to drink in this hovel?” Edward asked, looking around. He didn’t see any bottles on the lone shelf or table, only weapons, and there weren’t really any other places to look.

“Nay. Not a good idea to get pissed when on a contract.”

“You have more than Prins?”

“Aye,” her eyes narrowed slightly. “Got another should be arriving tomorrow. You’re surprised?”

Edward shrugged. “Just not used to thinking about you that way.”

“Is it really worse than being a bloody pirate?” she asked, chuckling a little.

“I suppose no, but I’m not used to thinking about you that way either.” He picked at a scab on his palm. “You’ve really thrown me for a twist Jam-...Mary.”

She laughed now. “I’m no different than before you know. Just because I have a cunt instead of a prick doesn’t change anything.”

“Jaysus. Do you have to put it that way?” He felt almost embarrassed to hear a woman talk like that.

“How else should I put it?” she came back with some heat. “I ain’t changing who I am because it makes you feel uncomfortable.”

“Alright, I’m sorry, Christ,” he put up his hands placatingly. “It’s just, I don’t know how to handle you anymore.”

“Edward, Jaysus, don’t do anything different you gob,” she exclaimed, standing up and pacing around the small room. “I’ve been the same person all this time. Just ‘cause you didn’t know I was a woman don’t mean I weren’t,” she said, thumping her fist on the table.

“Alright, I said I were sorry,” Edward said again.

“This is why I don’t tell anyone! You’re all thick as planks!” She plopped down on the bed again, and again the springs cried out in torture.

Edward snickered.

“What are you on about?” Mary asked.

“Don’t think you should be talkin’ about planks,” he grinned.

“Piece o’ shite!” she knocked him against the wall again. “Baggy clothes hide a lot.”

“Sure, if there ain’t much to hide,” he jeered.

“Fuck your mum,” she scowled and reached down the front of her tunic.

“Ho there, lad, what’re you doing?” Edward asked in some alarm.

She pulled out a length of cloth, and started unwrapping it from her chest. “I also bind my tits, you arse.”

Edward looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time tonight. With her coat and belt off there were some curves discovered. Her hips were a little wider than he remembered, and her waist a little thinner. Her chest was smaller than most, but freed from the binding it was still there under her tunic. Her hair brushed her shoulders, and the cleft in her chin was suddenly fascinating. He’d never noticed her cheekbones before.

“You’re looking at me like a shark at chum, Edward Kenway,” Mary said.

“I guess I just ain’t never seen you truly,” he replied slowly.

There was a pause. Their eyes met. Edward saw steel in hers. Mary saw fire in his.

She grabbed his face and pulled him into a kiss. It was rough, and hard. Her hands on his face were also rough and hard against his skin, and when she gripped the back of his head it was not gentle.

“Mary,” he started when they came apart.

“Shut up,” she said, and hauled him up and out of the chair by his collar before planting another long kiss on his lips. Her hands tugged his coat off and back, and when it got caught up in his belt she just forced him down onto the bed.

“Jaysus, Mary-” she slapped him across the face, hard this time.

“I swear to God, if you say one more word, I will end this now, and it will never. Happen. Again.” She stared him down, then grabbed him by the back of the head and kissed him again. He met her force this time, and she welcomed it. Her tongue ran across his lips, and then she bit him on the lower lip, drawing blood. They fumbled together now for his belt, while she sucked the blood out of him.

His belt came off, then his coat, then she pulled his shirt off. She planted her hands on his pecs, feeling scars, and pushed him back onto the meager bed. The springs were not pleased.

She grabbed the top of his breeches and yanked them down, painfully freeing his hard cock as it sprung back up to hit himself in the belly. Edward watched as she pulled her own tunic off, then worked the buttons on her breeches, finally dropping them to the floor.

Mary straddled him, knees on either side of his waist, and placed her hands back on his chest. He could feel the heat between her legs. Pressing down, she starting biting the skin on his neck, then his chest, then his nipple, causing him to jump in pain. She growled into his skin, and bit him again.

He grabbed her hair and pulled her head up, about to shout a curse, but a warning flashed in her eyes, and he bit his tongue.

Leaning forward, she ran her own tongue along the rough edge of his jaw, and starting biting his earlobe. Her hot breath pulsed in his ear.

Edward reached down to grab her rear, and squeezed hard. Her muscles clenched beneath his hands, iron strong, and she released his ear to moan quietly. He dug his fingers in, feeling the resistance.

She pushed herself back up, then reached down to grab him. He used his hands on her ass to guide her pussy down onto his cock, and watched as she sunk down onto it. Their hair mingled, her dark patch mingling with his lighter one.

He supported her as she pumped up and down, slamming down onto his pelvis with a ferocity that scared and excited him.

Mary leaned forward again, now supporting herself by placing a hand on either side of his shoulders. He reached up to grab her breasts, squeezed them into his palms. He felt the muscles under them as well, tensing each time she rocked back onto his erection. His rough palms scratched her nipples, and her head rolled back, mouth open.

He felt her begin to clench around him, and she brought her head back down, bit into his shoulder. She shouted her orgasm, muffled by his flesh, and he quickly followed, keeping his own sounds to low grunts.

Slowly her pace subsided, then stopped. He felt their mutual juices matting his pubic hair.

She rolled off of him. The mattress wasn't big enough for two people, and Mary made that abundantly clear by pushing at Edward with her feet until he got up. She turned to face the wall, not saying anything.

Edward thought about making a comment, but instead just got dressed as best he could, wincing at the pain in his shoulder.

Just as he was stepping out the door, he heard her voice.

“Come back tomorrow night.”


	2. Edward is Guilty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward is unsure what to feel about last night. He eventually returns to Mary's hut. Edward and Mary have sex again.

Edward opened his eyes.

Unfortunately, he saw what he was expecting.

A wooden table. A wooden cup. His hand. Blurriness.

His hand picked up the cup. It was empty. His hand put it back down.

He thought about sitting up, decided not to.

Someone slapped him on the back, shouted something jovial in his ear. He swung his hand around, trying to hit whoever it was. He was unsuccessful.

He groaned.

The static that had been background noise resolved into overlapping conversations.

He thought about sitting up again, decided to try it this time. It was only a little difficult, because his cheek was stuck to the table.

He groaned again, realized he was still groaning from the first time, and stopped.

He looked around.

He was still in the tavern he’d gone to last night.

Last night.

“Jaysus,” he put his head back on the table. James. Mary. Fighting. Sex. Mary.

After he’d left her shack he’d wandered around for a while in the night. He hadn’t been sure what to think, or feel. James was Mary. And they’d had sex. He’d had sex with Mary, who had been James. Who still was James. But also Mary. The sex was...well it was sex. It had been pretty nice. It kind of hurt. He’d found himself in the tavern, not quite sure how he’d got there. Then he was drinking, and other people were drinking with him, and then he’d woken up just now.

He levered himself up off the table, and up out of the chair. He needed air.

“Ahoy,” he croaked to the bartender, leaning heavily on the solid wood. “How much do I owe ye?”

“Them’s over there took care of you,” the bartender indicated a small group of men with his stubbled chin. Edward turned to look. He didn’t recognize them. They saw him looking, raised their mugs, then started laughing.

He nodded, then made his way toward the door. One jumped up and intercepted him.

“Ahoy mate. Just want to thank ye for the entertainment,” he said, while his comrades tried to stifle their laughter behind him.

Edward didn’t like where this was going. “What entertainment?”

“Why, you regaled us with a fine story afore you passed out.”

“A story?” his blood froze. “I don’t recall tellin’ no story.”

“Oh, aye. It were all about how you’d slept with a-” the man looked down in shock.

Edward’s hidden blade, released from hiding, had just cut his stomach open.

“Ye should’ve kept your mouth shut,” Edward whispered to him, letting his body hit the floor. The other men rose up in surprise, but Edward was on them in a flash.

He slashed at the neck of the closest as he lept past, following through to bury the blade into the guts of the second man. A twist and a wrench were enough to spill his intestines upon the floor. One tried to grab him from the left, but Edward punched out at his face and released his other blade. It sprung out and buried itself into the eye of the man, momentum driving his skull all the way to Edward’s hand. The last had started to move toward him, but hesitated. Edward pulled out a throwing knife and flicked it into his throat.

He sighed and used his other hand to pull his blade out of the head of his deceased foe. He wiped the blades on the body, then retracted them back into their sheath.

People had turned to look, then turned back away. It was too early to get in a fight.

Edward staggered outside. His head hurt more than before, and the sudden brightness of day dazzled his eyes.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered, looking around and rubbing his shoulder. It ached, a dull throb. He pulled back his shirt and craned his neck to look. Two rows of tooth shaped bruises lined his shoulder. Some were starting to scab over from bleeding.

He grunted, not sure if he was upset or not.

Someone came out of the tavern and bumped into his shoulder, brushing past him in a hurry.

“Watch yourself, ye cunt,” he shouted after them, but the stranger didn’t respond or even turn. He sighed, and didn’t feel like pursuing the issue.

Wandering downhill aimlessly, following the main road, he eventually found himself at the docks. Breathing in, the sharp smell of the sea helped to clear his head.

Gulls cried out above, rigging flapped, and wooden hulls creaked. A barque had just docked, and the crew was busy unloading cargo. They were shouting and laughing. The sounds of his life surrounded him, allowing his mind to drift off. He leaned on a wooden pile, and looked out to the ocean.

_Is it really so bad? So what that Mary is a...woman. She’s saved my life afore, and I’ve saved hers. Aye, she knows how to handle herself._

_It’s not like I was attracted to her when she was a lad, or anything. No. She was just a friend. Nothin’ more._

He shifted slightly, eyes darting around as if people could hear his inner thoughts.

_There’s somethin’ about her, though...What is it? Strong. She’s strong, aye. Puttin’ me to shame, not that I’d let on. And not just in body. Mind too._

_All those years, hidin’ out. Pretendin’ to be someone else. Christ! That takes guts._

He watched an extra large crate be manhandled out of the barque and across the dock.

_Strong, though. Real strong. When she lifted me out o’ the chair...! That was somethin’._

_She really knew what she wanted._

_I ain’t felt an ass like that afore. Real strong._

His hands gripped the wood in front of him.

_She’d have to be. Runnin’ and climbin’...no problem keeping up at all. Assassin, after all. Makes sense. Don’t know what they’re on about. Bit strange._

He reached up and scratched his wounded shoulder absently.

_I shouldn’t fight it. Just let it be what it is. What it is, is damn good sex. Don’t get that too often. No. Damn good. She knows what she wants._

Not like anyone else is going to know.

He thought back on the men in the tavern. No regrets.

Edward shrugged and turned away from the view, and looked up into the sky. Midday.

_What am I meant to do for these hours, until I go back?_

He wandered back away from the docks.

His feet took him toward the whorehouse he was used to spending his money on here. They always had a nice selection of women, who were also generally clean. He had his hand on the door before he realized what was going on.

His arm fell to his side, and he looked around guiltily. A couple of prostitutes were sitting on the bench to the side, and they giggled and waved at him when his eyes fell upon them. Their hair was loose and up, and their ample breasts spilled over their corsets.

Normally he’d be more than glad to spend his Reals on their company, but today...he just wasn’t interested.

“If you pay a little coin, you can do more than look,” one of the woman winked at Edward.

“Not today, I think,” he replied, turning to leave.

“How about a free sample?” she freed one of her breasts from the corset. Edward felt his breeches tighten.

“Well...maybe just for a little bit,” he said, giving in to his lower head.

Both women stood up, and the one covered herself back up.

“Nay, just...one of ye. You,” he indicated the speaker. The other one sat down with a pout.

“Reals up front,” she announced, robotic and flat. “One for hand, two for mouth, three for-”

“Aye,” he interrupted, impatiently. “I know the prices.”

He fished in his coin pouch and produced two coins. Pressing them into her palm, he felt strangely dull. She smiled, slipped the coins into her own pouch, and led him inside by the hand. He allowed himself to be pulled upstairs and into a small room. The bed was dingy and the window was dusty.

“Have a seat, love,” the woman said. Edward plopped down onto the bed. She knelt between his legs.

“Can I see your diddeys?”

“Sure. For another Real.”

“That’s new,” Edward grumbled, but fished another coin out. She deftly plucked it from his fingers, secreted it away, and pulled her breasts out. They were large, with areolas the color of mud. Edward felt he should be more excited.

They’re too saggy...too big...

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the feeling of her hand on his prick. It was impersonal. She lacked conviction. Her mouth did feel good, though, as she started to suck him off. He watched the top of her head bob up and down. Closing his eyes, he focused on the feeling, ignoring the doubts.

A mouth was a mouth, and she was at least competent with hers. He felt the tingling spread down his shaft, and the tautness at his head. Placing a hand on her head, he pressed down slightly, signaling his desire. She kept her mouth on him as he came, unloading down her throat.

His last twitches finished, and she pulled back, swallowing the remains. Edward kept his eyes closed.

“That’ll be another Real for the swallow,” she said. He sighed, unsatisfied.

“And who’s Mary?”

That got his attention. “What?”

“You kept whisperin’ it. ‘Mary, Mary,’” she said, putting herself back together.

“You must be hearin’ things,” he said, his brows knitting together in anger. “I don’t know why I’d say that.”

She shrugged. “I know what I heard. You can call me whatever you want, dearie, no matter to me.”

Edward hurriedly got up and left the room without saying anything, more upset than before.

Outside he gulped for air. He leaned against a wall, feeling slightly dizzy, and tried to focus on the people going past to stop the spinning.

_What the devil is going on?_

Someone ran into him, knocking his shoulder against the wall, and pushed past to keep walking. Edward shouted and took a couple steps after them, intending to take out his confusion on this new target, but the world started spinning again.

_Devil take me!_

He sat on the ground and held his head in his hands until the feeling passed.

_I need another drink._

Standing up, slowly, making sure things weren’t going to start moving on their own again, he headed up the hill, away from the docks and the ocean and the whores.

Edward found a small tavern, off the main road. It was mostly empty and quiet. It was open to the outside air, and he sat in the sun and nursed his beer.

His thoughts swirled around like a whirlpool. He thought he’d had everything figured out, down at the docks, so why did he feel this way? He didn’t care that Mary pretended to be a man most of the time. He knew she wasn’t.

A thought came slowly creeping up on him. He tried to dismiss it. It came back, stronger. He took a drink. It persisted. He didn’t often entertain this type of feeling...

_Am I feeling guilty? Because I let some whore suck my prick? Because it wasn’t Mary?_

_Jaysus, Edward! That ain’t stopped you afore. Caroline’s been waitin’ at home for you these seven years...never meant nothing._

_Christ._

_Yer a daft fool, Edward. Got yourself in love with a woman._

He threw back the rest of the bitter dregs, and stood up, freshly determined. He marched forth, the sun dipping down on his left, flashing off the clouds. With each step his mind was made up more. He’d get there, and tell her just what he thought.

Mary’s shack came into sight. It wasn’t night, and he wasn’t sure if she was even there, but he’d wait if she wasn’t. He marched up to the door, and grabbed the handle to pull it open.

The door wrenched open, and he fell inside, his chin hitting the floor.

He felt a wash of deja vu as Mary began kicking him in the ribs.

“Jaysus, woman! Don’t ye know how to greet people?” he shouted, scrambling out of the way.

“I told you not to come here ‘til after nightfall, you bastard!” Mary followed after him, still kicking.

“I didn’t think you’d be here!” He made it to the safety of the other side of the chair. “Aren’t ye supposed to be out assassinating someone?”

“Oh, so you’d just hide out in my house until I came home, in the dark?” she exclaimed, trying to reach him. He had picked the chair up and was using it to keep her at bay. “You don’t think maybe that’d be incredibly stupid? I could’ve killed you!”

“I doubt that, give me some credit,” he protested, but Mary ignored him.

“Besides, your daft ass already killed my contract,” she shouted at him, ceasing her attack and throwing her fists out in frustration.

“What?” he lowered the chair slightly, but kept an eye out to watch for any other assaults.

“You killed my contract,” she repeated, unsheathing a dagger and stabbing it into the table. Her hair was still up in the bandana, beads hanging over the side. For a confusing second Edward saw both James Kidd and Mary Read. Then she untied it, allowing her hair to fall loose, and she was just Mary again.

Still slightly confused, Edward was only able to repeat his question. “What?” The chair lowered a bit more.

“Jaysus. Are you addled by the sun and drink?” She leaned on the table and placed her other hand on her hip. “How many people have you killed today? Those pirates you killed when you woke up from your drunken stupor. One was my target.” She undid the tight neckline of her tunic, and visibly relaxed.

“Oh,” the chair dipped down to the floor. “Well. Yer welcome, then,” he said mockingly.

She sighed and started piling the rest of her weapons onto the table. “You’re just lucky I can still collect my coin, or I’d be taking it out of your hide right now.”

“Wait, how did you know?”

“Not very sharp today, are ye Edward?” She smiled at him slyly. “I was there the whole time. Why did you kill them, anyway?”

Alarm bells starting going off in Edward’s head. She’d asked the question far too casually, looking down at her fingernails when she did. He decided truth was the most prudent course of action, and gripped the back of the chair again.

“I may have told them about you,” he flinched down, waiting for the strike, but it didn’t come. Instead she just laughed.

“Maybe you have some brains afterall. Thank you for tellin’ the truth.”

“You’re not...mad?” He stayed on the balls of his feet, ready to move.

“Oh, aye, a little. I gave you a right knock on the way out. You weren’t very happy about that. Then I didn’t have anything to do, so...I followed you. What a boring day you had,” she pierced him with her gaze, staring unflinching into his eyes.

“What? Oh,” realization dawned on him, and he straightened up. “Oh.”

“Aye. Have a fun time with your whore?”

“Look, it weren’t like-”

The chair was knocked out of his hands in a flash, clattering to the side, and then she was on him, pushing him into the wall and ramming her lips onto his. His shock only lasted a second, and then he returned the kiss, eagerly devouring her mouth with his. His hands went up to the sides of her head, holding on tight, trying to drive her backward toward the bed.

She pushed back, not giving an inch, hands gripping his shoulders. She squeezed, and he growled into her mouth in pain when she found the wound she had inflicted last night.

Edward managed to pull her head back from his, and gasped for breath.

“Jaysus, Mary,” he panted.

“You can’t take a little pain?” she said hoarsely, squeezing again. He grimaced, but didn’t give her the satisfaction of a sound. “Come on Edward,” she whispered, her lips almost brushing his, her hot breath caressing his skin. “Scream for me.”

Mary twisted her hand, and he started to yell, but she covered his mouth with hers, muffling the shout, sucking the pain out of him.

Edward managed to pull away again, breathing heavily. His eyes met hers, and they were frightening. They were wide, hungry, flicking over his face, devouring him. Her shoulders rose and fell with her own breathing, and her mouth was open and waiting.

He pulled her to him, biting her lip. She moaned, low and guttural. He hooked his foot behind hers and twisted, spinning her around and slamming her into the wall. Her eyes opened in shock.

“Turnabout is fair play,” he spoke into her neck, nipping at her skin.

“Harder,” she commanded, grabbing the back of his head and pushing him down into her neck. He bit her, and she moaned again. Working his way down her neck, he pushed her jacket and tunic out of the way and over her shoulder. Edward placed his lips in the divot between her neck and collarbone, and sucked hard at the skin.

Her hands grabbed at his biceps, and gripped tight as he brought her blood to the surface of her skin, leaving his mark. He bit into her shoulder, and she released the breath she had been holding in a rush. He pawed at her sash holding her jacket closed, loosening it as he gnawed at the muscles under her skin.

She suddenly drove forward, lifting him off the ground and driving him into the small table, barely missing the knife still stuck into the wood. She bent him backwards over the table, and pulled at his jacket and tunic while he finally got her sash undone.

Grabbing her hips, he pulled her between his legs as she got his jacket open. She ripped at the buttons, tearing cloth, exposing his scarred and tattooed chest.

She bent her head down and kissed him again, sucking at his lower lip. His hands worked under her jacket, fumbling to find the top of her breeches, searching for his prize. As his rough hands finally found her skin, and grabbed her ass, she broke the kiss and laughed throatily.

“Squeeze it, Edward, make it hurt.”

He obliged, pulling her crotch into his, and she arched her back to grind into him, shaking off her own jacket. She grabbed the knife that was in the table, and pulled it out.

Edward flinched slightly as she ran the blade softly down his chest.

“Are ye going to kill me now before we’ve had our fun?” he asked, watching her eyes watch the blade with rapt attention.

“Nay,” she whispered, nicking him on the chest, and watching the blood well up. “Not today, leastways.” She pricked the tip of her own finger, then threw the knife aside. She locked eyes with him, slowly bringing her finger to her mouth. He could see the blossom of red on the tip. She slipped her finger inside her mouth, and began sucking on it, drawing the blood out. Her eyelids fluttered as the blood touched her tongue. She leaned back, and began to grind her crotch on his again. The muscles of her rear flexed in his hands, and he squeezed back.

“Christ, take your own tunic off, woman,” he rumbled, not wanting to remove his hands from her backside.

“Not willing to let go, are ye?” she laughed at him.

“Do you want me to?” he responded, slipping his fingers further around the curve of her ass. She gasped and jerked forward. “Hurry up, or I’ll keep going.”

“That’s hardly a threat,” she whispered, clamping her buttocks together to trap his fingers. She reached down and pulled her tunic off, and he groaned when her breasts came into view. They were perfect; firm and tight.

She smiled, and reached up to her lips. She swiped her finger across them, spreading her blood over them before leaning down to kiss him again. Her blood was hot and salty as he licked it off her lips.

He felt her fingers travelling across his chest, until she found the cut she had inflicted. Probing, she slickened her fingers with his blood. She leaned back again, putting her coated fingers up to her mouth before starting to lick them clean.

“Put your fingers in me, Edward,” she growled.

He swiftly moved one hand around to the front, shoving her breeches down in the process, and jammed the heel of his palm onto her clit while shoving two fingers inside. She jerked up and shrieked a little, dissolving into a deep moan as he moved his fingers inside her. She began to suck ferociously on her fingers, resting her free hand on his shoulder, matching the movement of her hips to his fingers. He pushed into her, and she pushed onto him.

“Why did you kill those people?” she asked between her fingers.

Edward was slightly thrown off.

“I...told them-”

“No! Why did you...kill them,” she asked again, more forcefully.

He wasn’t going to ruin this moment. His brain spun through the possible answers. What does she want?

“To protect you?”

“Yes...” she shivered. “Tell me how...”

“I...cut the guts out of the first one,” he started.

“Oh Christ...” she murmured, increasing the speed of her bouncing.

“Then I cut the throat of one,” he said, starting to warm up to the tale, but not forgetting the work his palm and fingers were doing.

“Was there lots of blood?” she whispered huskily, digging her nails into his shoulder.

“Aye. It gushed out all over my hand, warm and wet.”

“Don’t stop...Edward...” she pleaded.

“I cut the third one across his belly, spilling his intestines all over the floor. The blood ran out of him too.” He slipped a third finger inside her, and she gasped.

“The forth one I stabbed through the eye as he tried to jump on me.”

Her eyes fluttered closed.

“His brains fell out when I yanked the blade back. I did it all for you.”

Her mouth dropped open, fingers hooked inside, and she let loose a moan, rising upward into a scream as she climaxed onto his fingers, shuddering against him.

He quickly stood up and caught her as her legs gave out and she fell backward, catching her around the waist. Her hand grabbed at his neck and she hung from him there, catching her breath.

“Edward...”

He tried to pull her upright, but she slipped out of his grasp to kneel on the floor.

“I bet your two-bit whore isn’t as good as me,” she said, pulling his breeches down to expose him. She grabbed his cock, with conviction, and licked the tip. He shuddered at the touch of her tongue.

She engulfed his head in her mouth, sucking in as she travelled down his shaft. She worked up and down him, slowly, squeezing with her fingers and running her tongue along the underside of his prick.

She felt him flex inside her mouth, and she hummed gently in response. His breathing was loud, and ragged above her.

His hands gripped her hair, and he tried to pull her off, but she resisted.

“Mary, stop,” he managed to force out of his mouth. She slipped up him a little, just enough to laugh a little, sending more vibrations along his prick. His hips involuntarily thrust forward a little, almost losing himself over the edge. Her teeth nipped him, and he bucked again, feeling his head tighten.

“Jaysus, woman, stop,” he choked out.

“Why?” she asked, finally releasing him from her mouth. She looked up at him, hand still wrapped around the base of his shaft. Her eyes gave him the answer.

“Because I’m going to fuck you,” he growled, grabbing her by the wrist.

“Then do it,” she commanded. “Take me.”

He hauled her up, grabbed her around the waist with his calloused hands, and then slammed her down onto the table, all before she realized what was happening. Her butt stung from the impact. Looking down, she sucked in her breath, staring at his cock as he paused...then slammed into her, burying himself all the way inside her wet cunt.

“Break me,” she exclaimed, grabbing at him convulsively, randomly, taking a new hold with every penetrating thrust. The cheap table underneath them creaked, and then broke and splintered under Edward’s assault, throwing them to the floor. She slammed into the ground, the wind knocked out of her as he somehow kept pounding his cock into her pussy.

Mary’s eyes rolled back as she gasped for breath, feeling herself start to cum again.

Edward couldn’t hold back anymore, the feeling of her squeezing around his cock pushing him over the edge. He came into her, shooting his seed inside with a few last thrusts.

His arms gave out, and he fell down onto her. Their breathing was ragged, entwined, and heavy.

“Jaysus, Mary,” he gasped into her neck. “You’re a fuckin’ masterpiece.”

She scratched up his back, sending shivers down his spine.

“You can sleep here tonight,” she whispered.

He laughed.


	3. The Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary doesn't die in the prison.

Locked in the prison they had no one but themselves. Seperate cells, yet still adjacent. No one else was even on the same block.

They were already friends, of course, having sailed on the same ship for a year, and before that even.

“Mary?” Anne said, her irish lilt still apparent; it hadn’t yet been fully removed by the years of living in Nassau.

“Yes, Anne?” Mary replied, voice slightly echoing off the stone and steel.

“Do you think they’ll ever come to rescue us?”

“Of course they will. Any moment now they’ll come sailing into the harbor and blow this place to rubble.”

Anne laughed ruefully. “They'd better make it quick, then.”

Sitting against the stone wall that separated them, they sat back to back.

Mary reached her hand out through the bars, and Anne took it. She grunted in pain.

“Another contraction?”

“Yes,” Anne confirmed through her teeth.

They knew no doctor was coming to help. Just like with Mary’s baby, they'd show up soon after to take it away, with no hope of ever seeing it again.

“Just hold fast, lass.”

“Mary...your hand is burning up with fever.”

Anne knew she was ill, of course, there had been no hiding that, but Mary had been careful to hide how bad it was. Better for the baby not to worry the mother. Never mind the fact that it would never know it's mother.

“Don't fret yourself over it, ‘tis nothing,” Mary spoke as soothingly as she could. That damn Kenway better show up soon, or she’d have some words with him!

Ever since they’d seen him shackled in the crowd at their sentencing, they had been waiting for rescue. With both them and Edward in this Devil cursed prison, the Assassins should have been planning a rescue from the start. That is, if Edward didn’t manage to break out himself. What in the Devil was he waiting for?

She’d tried to get out herself, of course, but being until very recently with child, and then at the end sick as well, she’d had no success.

“Mary? Are you okay?” Anne asked with some concern.

Mary was not. Her vision was getting blurry, and she felt like every inch of her skin was on fire.

“I’m just fine,” she mumbled, trying to focus on hanging onto Anne’s hand. It was the only thing that felt real anymore.

“Mary? Mary!” Anne’s panicked voice faded into echoes.

 

“Someone help, God curse you!” Anne banged on the bars of her cell, trying to get anyone’s attention. “She’s dying! You cowards, come and help! Anyone, help! God damn you all! Auugh,” another contraction forced her to her knees. She reached back out of her cell, and grasped at Mary’s hand that was lying limp on the floor.

“Stay with me Mary! Don’t you dare leave me alone in this place! Don’t you dare,” she cried now, in spite of herself.

She heard some commotion, but didn’t bother to look up. “Mary, Mary, please don’t go.”

Then she realized the voice she was hearing was familiar, and looked up. It was Edward.

 

He ran up to their cells, seeing Mary slumped on the floor. Quickly unlocking the door, he knelt in front of her.

“Mary? Mary it’s me, Edward,” he said, afraid of getting no answer, adrenaline pumping through his body. He placed a hand on her cheek, felt it burning with fever. 

“Edward? Who’s this fellow?” Anne asked nearby, as Ah Tabai opened her cell as well.

“It’s alright Anne, he’s a friend,” he replied hurriedly. “What’s wrong with Mary?” Her eyes were glassy.

“She’s ill.”

“And her child?” he asked, studying her face.

“They took her.” Edward looked up in shock. “No idea where,” Anne continued sadly, before doubling over with another contraction.

“I know it pains my lady, but we must be silent,” Ah Tabai started to guide Anne away.

“Can you walk?” Edward asked of Mary, helping her to her feet. She groaned and put her weight on him as he hauled her up.

“Lean on me Mary, come on,” he encouraged as they staggered out of the cell. Her breathing was heavy and pained.

“I can’t,” she gasped. Edward said nothing, but put her arm over his shoulders, taking more of her weight.

Sounds of pursuit came from down the hallway.

“Come on, that’s it,” he said as they stumbled forward a few more steps. Mary stopped again to try to catch her breath.

“You’re all right,” Edward said, voice cracking. They managed a few more hesitant steps, before Mary staggered to one side to support herself on the wall. She doubled over in exhaustion. Her face was screwed up in pain.

“Stop. Stop, please,” she wheezed, unable to move, as her arm slipped from his shoulders.

“I ain’t leaving you dammit, lift your arm,” he commanded, bodily dragging her forward as another surge of adrenaline hit him. Her feet tried to keep up, and they managed a few paces around a corner. Her breathing was ragged and shallow.

“It’s no good,” she muttered, defeated, tired. Edward felt more of her weight as she started to lean backwards, her legs giving out. The shouts were closer behind them now, and any minute they would discover the empty cells.

Edward bent over and lifted her up, one arm under her knees, the other supporting her back. Heat radiated from her body. He trudged forward.

“I ain’t leavin you nowhere. No bloody way,” he said with soft determination, glancing over at her as her head rolled back and forth.

“Put me down, Edward,” she rasped, looking at him directly for the first time.

“Not a chance in Hell.”

The door was right in front of them. With one final effort he made it outside into the cool night air. He could see the rowboat Ah Tabai had ready for them, Anne already sitting in it. Mary’s head fell back again, and her unfocused gaze saw the night.

“Look there, Mary. We’re almost free,” he said, continuing his slow yet steady progress forward. “Ah Tabai has a boat for us. Anne is already in it, safe. They’re waiting for us.”

She didn’t reply, but Edward saw her face relax.

He continued to talk to her.

“And out there, in the darkness, a boat to take you back to Tulum, where they’ll get you all fixed up,” he puffed. He looked over at her. Her eyes were closed, and he had a moment of panic before he realized she was still breathing.

“What’s happened with Mary? What’s wrong?” Anne asked anxiously as he approached.

“She’s alright, she’s just passed out,” he replied. “We have to get her out of here now, though!”

“Oh thank God,” Anne replied, face scrunched as another contraction crested.

Ah Tabai helped him place Mary in the bottom of the boat. They pushed it off the sand then leapt in themselves.

“Row! Row like the Devil himself is after you,” Edward shouted. They disappeared into the fog.


End file.
